The invention relates to luggage articles such as attache cases and the like and to latching systems for such articles.
In recent years, the popularity of attache cases such as leather or vinyl covered wood-frame cases, for example, has been on the increase. Such cases commonly employ a pair of latch assemblies on opposite sides of a central carrying handle and a trend has developed for the use of combination locks in conjunction with such assemblies. Further, with a view toward simplifying the operation of such cases, there have been previous proposals involving the use of a single actuator and locking mechanism for operating the separate latch assemblies.
Due to the increasing popularity of attache cases of the above type, and due to the large number of individual case manufacturers, there is a demand for diversification in the design of the luggage latching and locking system hardware. It is desirable therefore for a hardware manufacturer to produce hardware which is adaptable to diverse customer requirements while at the same time being relatively economical to manufacture and simple to install and operate. The present invention is more particularly directed towards this end.